Ice breaking



UNITED STATES @PATENT EErcE.

ROBERT ROMAINE, OE OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA.

loe- BREAKING VESSEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of .'l'letters.l Patent No. 355,214, dated December 28, 1886. Application tiled June 30, 1886. Serial No. 206,720. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT ROMAINE, gentleman, of Ottawa, in the county of Carleton, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vessels for Breaking and Removing Ice, of which the following .is a specification. Y

This invention has for its object and purpose, first, the keeping open -during`winter seasons of navigable waters and streams for the purpose of preventing compacted and eld ice accumulating and forming into jamsthereby causing floods and inundations through the breaking up of the ice in running streams, rivers, and lakes; and, second, thebreaking and smashing into small pieces andl then removing the solid bodies of thick ice in early spring, after having accumulated and fastened during the previous winter season around and between wharves, basins7 and harbors, thereby facilitating the early navigation and arrival of vessels in the spring and prolonging their stay in the fall of t-he year.

To these ends the invention consists in providing the vessel with devices for crushing or breaking the ice and conveying it thence underneath the vessel, and discharging it at the opposite end 'thereof into the open stream.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a front end View of my improved machine; Fig. 2, alongitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 3 a rear end view with t-he operating mechanism removed.

A indicates the shell of la rectangularshaped vessel, B, formed of thick iron or steel plates, the plates of course being of graduallydecreasing thickness above the load-line. The frontend of this shell inclines rearwardly from the point where `it joins the deck O, and its rear end is also' inclined; but it will be noticed that the rear inclined wall does not extend out to the rear end of the deck C, but allows the latter to overhang for a considerable distance, as shown in Fig. 2, thus forming a chamber, D. This construction allows a free circulation of water in the chamber D, and in this chamber I mount a pair of twin screws, E, the blades and shaft of which are thoroughly protected from ice or other floating substance.

The interior walls of the shell A will of .derstood in the construction .of vessels for navigating the Arctic seas, and `does not re quire illustration here.

F. F F F are four strongly-built iron keels, i

of tubular construction, and filled with elm, oak, or other suitable timbers. These keels extend'parallel with and are bolted or riveted to the bottom faceof the shell A, and at the bow of the vessel they conform to the front inclined wall of shell A and overhang a slight distance, where they are secured'to a heavy rectangular frame-work, G, which latter is adapted to receive the shocks and blows given the vessel. At the rear these keels also extend parallel with the shell A; but they are some distance in rear thereof, and overhang, as'do their forward ends, and are connected to the framing G.

The rear of the chamber D is protected by a series of bars or rods, H, which extend from one keel to the other, as shown in Fig. 3, the bars or rods following the contour of the keel down their inclined rear ends and along their horizontal portions to the point where the chamber D terminates. The sides of the chamber D are formedby the side walls of the shell A, which are extended outward and rearward to the same distance as the keels. The side walls of the shell A, which form the-side walls of the chamber D, are perforated, so as to allow the free egress and ingress of water to the chamber. v

The propellers E are mounted in the chamber D, and are supported in a bridgetree or support, I, the Vshafts J ofthe propellers being extended inward into the interior shell, A, so as to be connected with and Operated by any suitable engine. (Not shown.)

Between and removably journaled in the keels F are a series of horizontal shafts, K, which are provided with sprocket-wh eelsL, the latter receiving and giving motion to a number of endless pitch or toothed chains, M, -as shown in Figs. l and 2. Thesevchains extend up the front and the rear of the vessel, and

also along the bottom, and areprotected from injury by the keels. At the upper ends of the IOO inclined chains their shafts K are each provided with a large gear-wheel, N, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) which, through an intermediate gear, O, receives motion from y a smaller gear, I?. Motion is imparted to the gear-wheel P by means of an engine, Q, which may be of any desired construction, and the motion thus imparted to the Wheel P is transmitted through the wheel O, mounted upon the engine-frame, to the wheel N and to the chain.

There will, by preference, be an engine, Q, at each end of the vessel, although it will be seen that one engine could accomplish the same results, but in a much less satisfactory manner.

R R indicate a series of vertical steanrcylinders, which are mounted in opposite ends of the vessels, as shown, cylinders of each set being connected by a pipe or pipes, S, with a steam-chest, T, as shown in Figs. l and 2. These cylinders are provided with pistons, to the rods U of which are secured removable and interchangeable hammer heads or shoes V, of any desired shape, the heads V being changed as the condition of the ice requires. These heads V may be sharp or blunt, and of any shape desired in cross-section.

The steam-chest T is provided with a slidevalve, (not showin) the stem or rod W' of which is connected to a gear-wheel, X, by a pitman, the gear-wheel X meshing with and receiving motion from the large gear-wheel N, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Steam is conveyed to the ,engine Q and to the steam-cylinder R 'from the boiler Y by means of steam-pipes Z.

The operation of the device is as follows: The enginesl Q in the bow of the vessel being set in motion, the wheel X is caused to re volve, (through the gears P ON and steam is admitted to the opposite ends of the cylinder R by means of the slide-valve in steam-chest T, which is operated by the wheel X. This sets the reciprocating hammers or pounders at work upon the ice, 'and by a succession of sharp quick blows break or crush theice. The chains M in the meantime have also been set in motion, and as they move their teeth engage with the broken ice, pull it down under the vessel, where, by means of the horizontal chains, it is conveyed to the rear of the vessel and allowed to come to the surface and float out with the current. By providing the vessel with the hammers or Crushers at each end it may be used either end foremost.

The deck of the vessel is covered, so as to protect the occupants of the vessel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combination with a vessel, a series of hammers thereon for breaking the ice, an cn- A gine for imparting motion to Said hammers, and an endless chain extending from the front to the rear of the vessel.

2. In a vessel for breaking and removing ice, the combination, with the hull or shell A, having the inclined front wall, of a series of chains mounted upon said Wall and a series of hammers in advance ofthe latter, substantially as set forth.

3. In a vessel for breaking and removing ice, the combination, with the hull or shell'A, having the inclined front wall, of the overhanging deck C, the4 reciprocating hammers mounted in said over-hanging portion, and the endless chains in rear of said hammers.

4. In a vessel for breaking and removing ice, the combination, with a hull provided with inclined end walls, endless chains extending alongthe bottom and ends of the hull, a series of hammers at each end of the vessel, and a suitable motive power for actuating the hammers and chains simultaneously.

5. In a vessel such as described, a series of ice-crushing hammers, a series of conveyingchains in rear of said hammers, and mechanism, substantially such as shown, for simultaneously operating the chains and hammers.

6. In a vessel substantially such as shown, the combination, with a hull, of the keels F secured thereto, the shafts K, extending from keel to keel and provided with sprocket-wheels L, chains M, passing about the wheels, when combined with mechanism for imparting motion to the shafts. f

7. In avessel substantially such as shown, the combination, withthe hull A, the deck C, overhanging the stern of the hull and forming a chamber, D, the keels F, connected to the hull and extended in rear thereof up to the deck,bars II, extending from keel to keel and closing the rear and bottom of the chamber D, and a propeller, E, located within the chamber, all substantially as shown and described.

S. In combination with a vessel substantially such as shown and described, a hammer IOO provided with a valve for regulating the admis- ROBERT ROMAINE.

lVituesses:

` CHARLEs EDWARD CLARKE,

WILLIA M CAIRNs.

IIO 

